NJ sports betting put on hold by Monmouth Park, lawmakers

Monday’s favorable ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court paves the way to allow gambling on sporting events at racetracks and casinos in the state.
Brian Johnston, Asbury Park Press

Monmouth Park plans to take advantage of a favorable ruling from the Supreme Court to bring sports betting to the track.
AP
Monmouth Park is expecting a favorable ruling from the Supreme Court to bring sports betting to the track. But if not, it has a backup plan.(Photo: Joe Cavareta, AP)

OCEANPORT - Monmouth Park officials said they are delaying the launch of sports betting at the request of state lawmakers, scuttling work to begin taking wagers on sports such as baseball and basketball on May 28.

Instead, the track will only conduct ceremonial wagering that day, with plans to have Gov. Phil Murphy and other politicians participating.

Dennis Drazin, president and CEO of Darby Development LLC, which operates Monmouth Park, on Wednesday said the decision to delay opening sports betting to the public was made in consultation with Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester.

Sweeney asked for time to allow lawmakers to establish regulations for the new venture, Drazin said.

"I spoke to Sen. Sweeney and he asked me to wait,'' Drazin said. "We won't take bets from the general public until the legislature says we can.

"Our current plan is to do the ceremonial betting May 28 with Sen. Lesniak (former state Sen. Ray Lesniak), Gov. Murphy and (former) Gov. (Chris) Christie, if we can get them all together.''

Sweeney is the sponsor of a bill (S2602) regulating sports betting that includes a passage prohibiting issuance of licenses to operate a sports book "to any person that operated a sports pool within one year prior to the enactment of this act."

Sweeney in a statement issued by his office promised to "move quickly to get the law in place.''

"But it has to be done right, with the regulations, oversight and financing in place. I expect to have the sports betting legislation approved by the Senate at our next session on June 7th so that sports gaming in New Jersey is up and running as soon as the governor signs the bill,'' Sweeney said. "New Jersey will continue to be the leader on sports betting but we want to ensure its long-term success with the right rules and procedures in place.”

Drazin had told Gannett New Jersey on Tuesday and again Wednesday morning that Monmouth Park was set to launch sports betting May 28 after a U.S. Supreme Court on Monday paved the way to allow gambling on sporting events at racetracks and casinos in the state.

However, Drazin has said all along he will comply with the legislative process while the state legislature drafts legislation regulating the sports betting.

"I'm going to do exactly what they want me to do,'' Drazin said. "I fully support the governor and the legislature. I want us all to be together on this. I'm told it will be early June (when the legislation is done). I'm willing to wait.''